“No. It doesn’t sound silly at all,” she replied, feeling shy. Somewhere between Travis’s first kiss outside the jewelry store and the last one that had turned her bones to putty, she’d lost track of the purpose of this new business partnership.
She shook her head to clear it. “All right. Here’s the total,” she said, as though she’d been hunting for the figures. She read off the amount to him and said, “Is that going to be too much?”
“Not at all. So. When do you think we can get married?”
She chuckled. “You sound like an eager bridegroom.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing, I suppose. I thought I’d go into town in the morning for the mail and stop by to speak to the pastor.”
“I should be home by the fifth. Could we be married that Saturday? The eighth?”
“That’s a lot of pressure to put on Mollie’s skills as a seamstress.”
“Well, why don’t I give you a call in a few days, and in the meantime you can find out what she says, what the pastor says, and then we’ll make more definite plans.”
“Okay.”
“Megan?”
“Mmm?”
“It’s all going to work out just fine. Stop worrying.”
“That’s going to be a hard habit to break.”
“That’s understandable. Just try to remember that you aren’t doing this all alone now. I’m going to be there for you. Maybe you can start off by letting me worry about things, okay?”
“Such as?”
“Where I’m going to sleep once we’re married, maybe?”
“Travis!”
“Well, you never said.”
“You’ll have your choice. We have two empty bedrooms that we’ve been using for storage. One is the largest bedroom in the house, the one our folks used. None of us wanted to move out of our own rooms so we left it empty.”
“Ah. A bedroom that’s big enough for two. Now that sounds promising.”
“Travis, please don’t get any ideas about—”
“Too late. The ideas have already arrived.”
“I’m not at all sure about that part of our relationship. I think it’s just going to complicate an already complicated situation.”
“Not if we don’t let it.”
“But we don’t know each other well enough to—”
“Good Lord, woman, how many more years do we need to know each other before—”
“But we haven’t gotten to know each other as adults, don’t you understand? We haven’t even seen each other in the past few years, or talked, or dated or…” Her voice trailed off.
“Or kissed? Or necked? Or petted?”
“You know what I mean.”
“Okay,” he said, chuckling. “Guess you win again. I promise not to badger you about sharing a room, or a bed. How’s that?”
She was glad he wasn’t there to see her face. She could feel it flaming. “Fine.”
“I don’t promise that I’m not going to be dreaming about you, though,” he said in a husky voice. “I’m not responsible for what we do in my dreams. I’ll be talking with you, Miss Megan. Bye now.”
Seven
“Can’t you stand still for just another moment?” Mollie muttered as she pinned the veiled cap to Megan’s head.
“I’ll just be glad to have all of this over. I can’t believe the fuss everybody’s been making.”
Mollie stepped back and looked at her sister, standing there in one of the anterooms of the Aqua Verde church. “You look beautiful, Megan,” she said softly. “Just beautiful.”
Megan grabbed handfuls of the satin skirt and walked over to the full-length mirror Mollie had set up earlier. She stared at her image in surprise.
Once again Mollie had pulled off a miracle. The creamy satin gown hugged her breasts, ribs and waist, then flared over the hips into an ever larger swirl to the floor. The neckline dipped across her chest and hung just off her shoulders. The sleeves were long, ending in a point over the back of her hands.
The veil covered her face, but she could still see her face. She looked flushed, which wasn’t surprising. She’d been rushing around all morning.
She turned back to Mollie who watched her with a smile. Mollie had not only made her wedding gown but with the help of friends had made her own maid-of-honor gown and Maribeth’s bridesmaid dress. Mollie was in pale yellow; Maribeth in soft green.
Someone tapped on the door. Before either of them could answer Maribeth opened the door and slipped inside. She was holding a cluster of flowers. “Thank God your flowers arrived. Aren’t they gorgeous?” Not waiting for a response she went on, “The church is almost full. I can’t believe so many people turned out for the wedding.”
Megan sighed. “I don’t know why you’re surprised. I think the whole county was invited.”
“Well, the Kanes are telling everybody to come on out to their place for the barbecue reception. It’s going to be great.”
Travis’s father, Frank, had offered to escort Megan down the aisle. Travis’s brother, Zack, was his best man. The Kanes had been a godsend these past few months, helping with all the preparations.
She and Travis had been naive to think they could marry in three weeks. It was now the end of June, almost three months since he’d given her the ring. He’d been home only twice in that time, but during both visits he’d worked with her and Butch organizing needed repairs around the place.
He’d hired two more ranch hands to live on the place, which meant they’d had to build a bunkhouse near the barn to house them.
The extra help had been another blessing for both her and Butch. She’d overseen the repair of the windmill, and she and the girls had looked at paint samples to choose the color for the trim and the porch area of the house.
Everyone knew that Travis was paying for the improvements but nobody said anything. The townspeople and the surrounding ranch people appeared pleased that the O’Brien women finally had some needed assistance around the place.
Since everyone else seemed to accept the situation, Megan had worked hard to overcome her resistance to all the changes. Travis had assured her that he wouldn’t try to run the ranch for her. He’d made it clear to the new hands that she was the one giving the orders, which appeased her somewhat.
However, when he showed up the second time with his arm in a sling and three cracked ribs, she’d suddenly come face-to-face with a brand-new fear—fear for Travis’s safety.
However, he’d showed up at the church yesterday in time for the wedding rehearsal looking fit, taking the ribbing from all the participants, and wearing a cheerful grin. He was congratulated for having made it home in time to get married with no discernible injuries.
She hadn’t seen him today. Mollie and Maribeth had smuggled her and her wedding clothes into the church before anyone else had arrived. All three of them had changed there.
There was another tap on the door. “Megan?”
It was Frank Kane, Travis’s father.
Maribeth hurried to the door and opened it.
“It’s time to get this show on the road,” he said, looking around at each of them. “My, my, my. I can’t remember the last time I saw such a dazzling bunch of ladies gathered in one small room. Y’all look smashing.”
They could hear the organist playing in the chapel.
Mollie quickly knelt and rearranged the train to Megan’s gown. When she straightened, she quickly wiped the corner of one eye. After a quick, silent hug, she went out the door, motioning to Maribeth.
Frank took Megan’s hand and tucked it around his forearm. He patted her fingers. “I guess you know that you’re making my boy a very happy man today.”
She swallowed. “I hope so.”
He smiled. “That young’un has carried a torch for you for years. I’d ’bout given up on him actually doing something about it.”
His comments puzzled her for a moment until she remembered that Travis had told her he wanted ever
yone to think this was a love match. There was no telling what stories he’d made up to convince his family.
The music had paused moments before and now with a new melody, Maribeth was going down the aisle. As Frank had so aptly put it, it was time to get this show on the road. It couldn’t be over soon enough for Megan. She’d never been cut out for all these fancy skirts and delicate veils. She’d take her jeans and boots over this stuff any day of the week.
She was halfway down the aisle when she saw Travis standing beside his brother. They both wore Western-cut suits—no sissy ruffles and tuxedos for them. As far as the men were concerned, women could get all dolled up to their heart’s content, but wearing a suit instead of their jeans was as fancy as they intended to get.
In all the years she’d known him, Megan had never seen Travis wearing anything other than jeans. Now, in the black suit and the glossy black boots that showed beneath the flared boot-leg pants, he looked devastatingly handsome. His blinding white shirt emphasized his deep tan. He wore a Western bolo tie and his hair had been freshly trimmed.
For a moment Megan forgot to breathe. Here was the man she was about to marry, the man upon whom almost every female in the county had, at one time or another, had a crush. She’d been so busy planning for this day that she had lost sight of what today represented. In a few short minutes she would become the wife of Travis Kane…Megan O’Brien Kane. He would be her husband.
She lost the beat of her measured steps. Thank goodness they were close enough to the altar that it didn’t really matter.
Megan turned her gaze toward Travis. He gave her his lopsided smile and a slow wink, then took her hand, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.
The ceremonial words went by in a blur. Brief moments stood out clearly to her. Both Mollie and Zack produced the rings at the proper moments. Bemused, Megan stared at the glint of gold on Travis’s bronzed hand. After a moment her eyes rose to search his. His face was solemn now, almost austere.
The next thing she knew Travis was lifting her veil and carefully draping it back over her head. “Hello, Mrs. Kane,” he whispered before kissing her tenderly on her mouth. The pressure lasted only briefly before he raised his head. They turned to face the congregation. The pastor introduced them and the organ joyously released the refrains that accompanied them as they returned up the aisle together, Travis’s arm wrapped securely around her waist.
Megan felt dizzy and disoriented by the time they paused on the steps of the church. Well-wishers poured out of the church behind them, quickly surrounding them, all laughing and talking.
“Are you okay?” Travis murmured.
“I don’t think so,” she whispered back, wondering if she was going to make a complete fool of herself by fainting for the very first time in her life.
To her astonishment Travis whisked her up into his arms, accompanied by more laughter and catcalls, and strode across the carefully manicured lawn to where his father’s late-model sedan waited for them.
“Travis,” she protested. “Put me down. I can at least walk to the—”
“Of course you can. Indulge me a little, okay? This is the first time I’ve had my arms around you in a while. Let me enjoy it while I can.” His eyes were filled with amusement and his engaging grin tugged at her heart.
“What about the bouquet?” somebody yelled from the crowd who were following them across the lawn.
Megan glanced down at the flowers she still clutched in her hand. Without looking, she tossed it up and over her head amid cheers and whistles. She glanced around in time to see the look of shock on Mollie’s face when the bouquet fell in her hands. Frank opened one of the rear doors and Travis placed Megan on the seat. He laughingly stuffed yards of satin in behind her, then closed the door.
Megan allowed her head to drop back and rest against the seat of the car while she listened to the buzz of conversation, laughter and jokes nearby. Someone was teasing Travis about his devastating effect on women. She could hear Maribeth’s excited voice in the midst of the babble. Megan opened her eyes in time to see Maribeth push through to the side of the car.
“What happened? Are you all right?” she demanded, her eyes round.
Her little sister looked so grown-up in her dress. Bobby was standing a few feet away, excitedly talking to Travis…she caught enough words to recognize that rodeo was still his most avid topic of conversation. Mollie stood to the side, still holding the bouquet, her smile a little dazed.
How could so much change in such a short time? Megan had brushed away thoughts of the ceremony whenever it crossed her mind since April. It was just a necessary ritual to her. And yet…today she had felt the holiness, the commitment of what she was doing and she felt like the worst kind of sneak and liar.
Because he had wanted it that way, she had gone along with Travis’s suggestion to let people think this was a culmination of a long-standing romance. People tended to believe what they wanted to, anyway. She’d never been the romantic type. She hadn’t had time. Instead she’d put all her time and energy into hanging on to the ranch.
As a result of their marriage, the ranch was safe, which was what she had wanted, of course.
The door on the other side suddenly opened and Travis slid onto the seat beside her. Frank and Mona, Travis’s mother, were getting into the front seat. They would now be driving out to the barbecue that was already cooking at the Kane ranch.
“Come on, Travis,” somebody yelled. “You gotta kiss the blushing bride for us. We need to get a picture of this!” A camera was stuck in the open window.
Travis pulled her closer and laughingly kissed her with a loud smack.
“No, no! You gotta show some feeling here, man!”
“Not in front of the entire county, I don’t,” he retorted, making those who heard him laugh. “Let’s get out of here,” he muttered to his dad, who obliged him by pulling away from the curb with a honk and a wave. People started running for their cars, ready to follow them out to the ranch for the party-reception that had been planned.
Mona turned in the seat and said, “What a beautiful wedding, Megan. You and your sisters did a wonderful job of decorating the church…and your gowns are absolutely stunning.”
Megan felt her lips quivering. She was determined not to cry. Where had all these blasted emotions come from, anyway?
“I really didn’t have that much to do with it. Mollie, Maribeth and several of their friends did all the work.” She glanced down at her hands. “I’m not really good at that sort of thing.”
“Your talent lies in other areas,” Travis murmured, causing her to stiffen and stare at him in dismay. “You know as much if not more than I do about raising cattle, managing property, keeping up with the accounting—” He broke off with his list and grinned. “What did you think I meant, honey?”
“Now, Travis,” his mother admonished. “Don’t tease her. I swear you’re the worst tease I’ve ever known.”
“He is, isn’t he?” Megan said, grateful for his mother’s comment. “He used to delight in making my life miserable when we were kids.”
Mona nodded. “Oh, I remember. Your mama used to call and tell me about the times you’d get off the bus in tears, vowing vengeance on that rascal.” She shook her head. “I’d get on him about it, but it never did a lick o’ good.” She smiled at Megan. “I was sitting there during the wedding thinking about how proud your parents would have been of you if they could have witnessed what happened today.”
“I like to think that they were there today,” Megan replied softly. “If we never die—if our spirits live on—then I know that they were there today.”
Travis squeezed her hand. He still had his other arm around her. “You scared me earlier. You were as white as a sheet. I thought you were going to faint.”
“I was thinking the same thing. I don’t know what came over me—maybe the crowd, the sudden heat after being in the air-conditioned church, or a mixture of it all.”
“At least we do
n’t have to worry about the possibility you might be pregnant.”
“Travis!” Mona and Megan said in unison, their expressions of outrage almost identical.
He grinned unrepentantly. “Well? It’s true, isn’t it? Why are you shocked? Mom, I could see you being shocked if we’d announced that Megan was pregnant, but—” “That’s quite enough, Travis Franklin Kane,” his mother admonished.
Travis and his father laughed. Mona turned so that she could see Megan and just shook her head. “I can’t say I’m sorry to see him setting up his home somewhere else, but I must say, you have my sympathy, Megan, dear.”
Thankfully, Megan didn’t have to respond as they were pulling up at the Kane home where several people were already milling around setting up long trestle tables and tending to the meat being barbecued.
“I was going to change clothes but I forgot to get my bag at the church,” she said, looking down at her dress. “I don’t want to get it soiled, not after all the work Mollie went to making it.”
“No problem,” Frank said, stepping out of the car. “Travis can run you home. That’s one nice thing about being neighbors.”
Mona got out and waved at them while Travis slid under the wheel. “No use fighting all your slips and skirts for the short ride over there,” he said, resting his arm on the back of the seat and glancing at her as he backed up and turned the car around. “I’ll play your chauffeur, madame.”
Just like that, they were alone. The car seemed to be filled with a silence that was almost tangible. Megan searched her mind for something to say, but her thoughts had scattered.
She was relieved when they pulled up in the deserted yard of the Circle B. Travis walked around the car and held the door open, offering her his hand.
Feeling ridiculously shy, Megan accepted his help and stepped out of the car. She picked up the front of her multilayered skirts and as naturally as though he was used to helping a bride, Travis took the train and draped it over his arm and followed her up the back steps.
Megan's Marriage Page 9
